Perforator



May 6, 1930. J. E. LONG 1,757,914 L; PERFORATOR Filed Jan. 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Jpmv 1:. LONG.

A TTORN YS.

May 6, 1930.

J. E. LONG PERFORATOR Bzg tz og INVENTOR. JO f/V-E; 1. o/va A TTOR Patented May 6, 1939 UNHTED STATES JOHN E. LONG, 01-? MULTNOMAH, OREGON PERFORATOR Application filed January 4, 1928. Serial No. 244,452.

My invention relates to improvements in perforating machines by which characters are impressed upon materials by means of a series of arranged perforations forming such characters.

One of the principal objects of my invention'is to provide machines ofthis character having a rotatable head carrying dies about its periphery with a plurality of sets of characters, for example, letters and figures, and to provide such machine with means for arranging one or the other set in registration with the cutting elements thus providing a machine, having a head of given diameter, with increased capacity.

Another principal object of my invention is to provide means in a machine of this character for feeding the material being operated upon, so as to space such characters from each other when marked in succession. In machines of this character it is usual to make the letters of different widths, that is, the letter in is one unit narrower and thus such spacing means must be arranged to space material correctly under such varying conditions.

I attain the. first mentioned object by providing the rotatable head with one series of character dies spaced about its periphery in the usual manner and arrange the characters of another series in the space between the dies of the first mentioned series, but in alinement therewith. Machines of this character are provided with devices for securing the head in position when a character is being formed and in one embodiment of my improved machine I arrange the pin or other device constituting such means eccentrically upon a cylindrical base. The degree of eccentricity is suflicient so that it will permit the registration of one series with the cutting dies when the die is arranged in one position and will throw the other series into registration when such die has been rotated 90 about its vertical axis.

I attain the second mentioned object by providing such rotatable head with a series of notched cams and pivoted pawls with their ends riding upon such cams, material feeding means, such as rollers, mounted adjacent the mouth in which the material is held and a ratchet Wheel connected to such rollers. The pawls are arranged normally to be out of engagement with such ratchet, but when one of such pawls drops into a notch on one of the cams it is thrown into engagement with such ratchet, and when the arm of the perforator is depressed in forming a character it advances the material a predetermined distance to space the characters from each other. A number of cams are necessary because of the width of letters or characters vary and thus predetermined notches are arranged upon each cam for the letters of the same width.

The details of my invention and the mode of operation thereof are hereinafter described in greater detail in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a perforator embodying my invention, with the rotatable head and its casing shown in section;

Figs. 2 and 3 are fragmentary details taken substantially on the line 22 in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 diifering from Fig. 2 in that the positioning means shown in the latter has been rotated 90 about its vertical axis;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 4- in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the manner of arranging two series of characters alongside of each other by my invention.

A perforator embodying my invention comprises a base a to which is pivotally fastened an arm 6, and said parts are connected by a pivot bolt 0. Said base a is provided with a jaw (Z for receiving a strip of material 6 to be perforated and said jaw (Z is provided with a notched groove 0 for holding such strip in position relativelv to the perforating, cutting elements f slidingly mounted above such aw d in the base a. Such cutting, perforating elements f are held with their lower ends above and out 0'? such jaw (Z, by spring elements in the usual manner.

Such arm Z) carries rota-table spindle g which in turn carries a head it fixed thereto by a. key it. Such spindle is fastened in place by a nut 9" and is rotatable, and the arm I) is rocked by a handle 9 Such spindle also carries a disk 9 upon which the series of characters are noted so that when the desired character is arranged in registration with an arrow or other indicator g the proper die is in alinement with the cutting elements to marl: such character upon the material. Such head h is enclosed within a housing 2' preferably forming a part of such arm I) and a removable cover is held thereto by screws 1?. This is a general description of a perforator adapted to embody my invention.

It is common practice in perforators of this character to provide the rotatable head it with a series of apertures into which the upper ends 7" of the cutting elements f may extend so as not to be depressed by engagement with such head when the arm 5 is moved downwardly about its pivot c. The portions of such head which remain unperforated engage certain of such cutting elements 7' and force them downwardly thru holes 7 in the lower part of the j aw (Z underneath the strip of material e.

In my invention, to provide sufficient space to arrange another series of dies between the present ones, I recess such head 72, by forming a shoulder IL: about its periphery and arrang i adially extended pins h thereon to en gage the cutting and perforating elements f. Such pins h3 are of sufiicient length to force the cutting elements 7 thru the material and to permit the unengaged cutting elements 7 to be unmoved by the depression of the arm 7). Spaced about such head 72, are a series of notches 7a.", which are in predetermined alinement with the dies upon such head It and such notches are adapted to be engaged by an upstanding stud or pin carried by the base a and thus when such arm Z) is depressed such pin or stud engages a notch to prevent further rotation of such head.

As is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the pin or stud 7' is eccentrically carried by a cylindrical portion 7' rotatably mounted in the base a. The stud is arranged off center on the portion j a distance equal to one-half of the circumferential spacing of the pins it which consti tute the members making up the characters to be impressed bv the perforator. Such pin or stud j is provided with a short operating lever i and thus when such lever is rotated ninety degrees, the center of the stuc is shifted laterally upon the base a distance equal to one-half of such spacing. Inasmuch as the pin or stud j fixes the selected character carried upon the head relatively with the cutting elements f, such shift in the stud will cause the characters of one series to come into registration with the cutting elements when the stud is arranged as shown in Fig. 3.

As is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6, the letters or characters are made up of alined perforations. that is. perforations arranged in rows. Thus the capital letter H is formed of perforations a in which the perforations are paced from each other a distance substantially equal to the size of a perforation so as to permit dies forming other characters to be arranged in the intermediate spaces.

I have shown thus how the number 2 might be arranged alongside but spaced over oneha'lf row to the right, such member being made of perforations 3 and thus two series of letter or character dies can be arranged upon a single head without increasing its diameter merely by shifting the head a distance equal to a half row. I provide an cecentric j having a throw equal to one-half of the lateral spacing of the pins 763 so that by adjusting such eccentric in its opposite throws, laterally spaced series of connections will be alined with the cutting elements 7 in the same manner that circumferential alined series are thrown into and out of registration by the operation of the stud j. I provide such eccentric j with a handle j for moving such eccentric into its two adjustable positions. That is, by rotating such handle 7' one hundred eighty degrees, it will move the head it towards the right, as viewed in Fig. l, one-half row, thus bringing the series of dies k into registration with the cutting elements f. This would cause the die elements to lie in the spaces 0;, as viewed in Fig. 6, to permit a third series of characters to be formed upon such head. By setting both of the adjustable devices, such as the stud and the eccentric j, the fourth set of characters could be arranged in the spaces g To save weakening the head h unduly by forming perforations too close together, I preferably arrange the die elements upstanding pins h as shown in the drawings. If it is desired to provide a perforator of this character with but two series of characters, it is not necessary to provide pins such as h, but characters can be formed upon the head by recessing the remainder relatively, which is the common manner of forming such elements. This is not practical where more than two series are provided, because of the limited space and because of the great amount of material which nec ssarily must be cut away, which latter weakens the head unduly. This is especially true if the die elements are arranged in the spaces as and y, or m and 7 for the reason that the die elements are staggered one-half row longitudinally and another one-half row laterally from each other.

To provide a means for spacing the strip of material 0 lengthwise thru the jaw (Z, I provide two rollers and 70 arranged above and below the path of such strip of material 0, respectively. Such rollers are preferably, positively driven by connecting gear elements I and Z, respectively. Connected to such roll is a ratchet wheel m and a series of pawls a, 0 and p are arranged to engage such ratchet wheel. Such pawls are arranged along side of each other and mounted upon a spindle 9 arranged intermediate their ends. Such pawls hang pendent from such common spindle (Z and their lower ends at, 0 and p are formed into hooks adapted to engage the ratchet m and their other ends n 0 and 19 respectively are formed into angularlyarranged points riding upon the periphery of disks 1", s and t fixed to and preferably constituting a part of such head h. The periphcry of such disks are provided with notches arranged in a predetermined manner about the periphery and the ends n 0 and p of such pawls are adapted to be forced into such notches by a spring a when such ends come into registration with such notches. Such notches are of sufficient depth to permit the ends of such pawls a, 0 and 29 to be swung clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, into abutment with the ratchet m. Thus when the arm I) is depressed to form a character upon the strip 6 the hook-like end of the pawl depressed is shifted downwardly and depending upon the length of such pawl such ratchet is rotated so many notches in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. i, to shift such strip 6 along the jaw correspondingly.

For example, the letter 11 in one style of pertorator is four units Wide and thus the pawl 0 is adapted to shift the strip 6 along such jaw iive spaces so that the succeeding letter will be properly arranged relatively to such letter h. Correspondingly, the pawl a is adapted to move the strip 6 along sufficient distance to make letters such as m and the pawl p to make letters such as i.

I claim:

1. In a pertorator of the character described, a base having a material receiving mouth formed therein, a pivoted arm, a rotatable head carried by the latter, suchhead having a plurality of die elements spaced about its periphery and cutting elements mounted in such base and arranged to be moved into cutting position in such mouth by the moving of such arm on its pivot, such die elements comprising a plurality of upstanding pins arranged in the form of the character to be marked.

2. In a perforator of the character described, a base having a material receiving mouth formed therein, a pivoted arm, a rotatable head carried by the latter, and cutting elements mounted in such base and arranged to be moved into cutting position in such month by the moving of such arm on its pivot, such head comprising a plurality of series of elements arranged in the form of characters and one set of head positioning elements, such base carrying an element to engage such said head positioning elements, such elementon the base being adjustable to aline one or the other of such series with such cutting elements.

3. In a perforator of the character described, a base having a material receiving mouth formed therein, a pivoted arm, a rotatable head carried by the latter, and cut-' ting elements mounted in such base and arranged to be moved into cutting position in such mouth by the moving of such arm on its pivot, such head comprising a plurality of series of elements arranged in the form of characters and one set of head positioning elements, such base carrying an upstanding stud to engage such said head positioning elements, such stud being adj ustable-to aline one or the other of such series with such cutting elements.

4. In a perforator of the character described, a base having a material receiving mouth formed therein, a pivoted arm, a rotatable head carried by the latter, such head having a plurality of die elements spaced about its periphery, and cutting elements mounted in such base and arranged to be actuated by engagement with such die elements and to be moved into cutting position in such mouth by the moving of such arm on its pivot, such die elements comprising a plurality of upstanding pins arranged in the form of a character to be marked, such head comprising a plurality of series of elements arranged in the form of characters and one set of head positioning elements, such base carrying an element to engage such said head positioning elements, such element on the base being adjustable to aline one or the other of such series with such cutting elements.

5. In a perforator of the character described, a base having a material receiving mouth formed therein, a pivoted arm, a rotatable head carried by the latter, such head having a plurality of die elements spaced about its periphery, and cutting elements mounted in such base and arranged to be actuated by engagement with such die elements and to be moved into cutting position in such mouth by the moving of such arm on its pivot, such die elements comprising a plurality of upstanding pins arranged in the form of a character to be marked, such head comprising a plurality of series of elements arranged in the form of characters and one set of head positioning elements, such base carrying an element to engage such said head positioning elements, such element being adjustable to aline one or the other of such series with such cutting elements.

6. In a perforator of the character described comprising a base having a material receiving mouth, a movable arm carried thereby, a rotatable head mounted upon such arm and marking elements mounted in such base adjacent such mouth, such head being provided with a series of die elements spaced about its periphery, adapted to engage certain of the marking elements when such arm is moved into operative position, and to move such marking elements into such mouth, and means carried by such base and arranged adjacent the mouth for feeding material thru the latter, operating devices for driving such means each time the arm is moved in mark ing a character, including elements carried by such head and arranged relatively to the die elements, such operating elements adapted to regulate the degree of movement given such material feeding means.

7. In a perforator of the character described comprising a base having a material receiving mouth, a movable arm carried thereby, a rotatable head mounted upon such arm and marking elements mounted in such base adjacent such mouth, such head being provided with a series of die elements spaced about its periphery, adapted to engage certain of the marking elements When such arm is moved into operative position, and to move such marking elements into such month, and means carried by such base and arranged adjacent the mouth for feeding material thru the latter, operating devices for driving such means each time the arm is moved in marking a character, including paWl-and-ratchet mechanism, and operating elements carried by such head and arranged relatively to the die elements, such operating elements adapted to regulate the degree of movement given such material feeding means.

8. In a perforator of the character described comprising a base having a material receiving mouth, a movable arm carried thereby, a rotatable head mounted upon such arm and marking elements mounted in such base adjacent such mouth, such head being provided with a series of die elements spaced about its periphery, adapted to engage certain of the marking elements when such arm is moved into operative position, and to move such marking elements into such month, and means carried by such base and arranged adjacent the mouth for feeding material thru the latter, operating devices for driving such means each time the arm is moved in marking a character, including cam elements carried by such head and arranged relatively to the die elements, such operating elements adapted to throw such paWl-and-ratchet mechanism into engagement to regulate the degree of movement given such material feeding means.

JOHN E. LUNG. 

